Fang of Cerberus
by xXCrownofChaosXx
Summary: I was born with extraordinary powers and tasked with an unbearable burden. To make matters worse, I'm torn between three lives and the people within them as well as an impending threat that looms. Follow my journey as I try to balance my normal life and the life of a hero.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello and welcome to another story written by yours truly and this one is going to be a doozy so, let's just get right into the meat and potatoes of things. First, I was inspired to make this story after finishing up the latest Spiderman game for PS4 (specifically "The City That Never Sleeps DLC) and remembered how much I loved the dynamic between Spiderman and Black Cat. This led to me wanting to make an original superhero story with the Victorious gang.**

**Secondly, this story is going to be in the "Demons Within" story universe as an alternate universe. Here's the quick rundown, Liam grew up with his mother, Celeste, and sister, Lucille in New Orleans. He knows about his father's passing and history though not everything. This means, he never met Tori, Jade, or any of the others in the aforementioned story. Instead, it's a few years into college where he's already completed one semester and is now transferred to PCA University. (Yes, this may include the cast of Zoey 101, albeit to a minor capacity unless otherwise mentioned). **

**Lastly, Liam has his original last name, Marshall in this story as he was never raised by his uncle nor takes his last name. This also means that his 'sister'/'cousin' has not been introduced either. Either way, this is the first chapter of "Fangs of Cerberus"**

* * *

**Fang of Cerberus**

**Arc 1: Freshman Year**

**Chapter 1: Day One**

* * *

**_Hey Guys! So, where I do I begin? Well, I guess the beginning is the best place to start, it seems. My name is Liam. Liam Marshall is my full name. I am a transfer student at PCA University majoring in world history. I was born in New Orleans, Louisiana and had been living there for as long as I can remember. I just moved to Malibu after working my way to a scholarship after a couple of years of hard work and applications at my local community college. While this all seems to be nothing more than some bland introduction, but, just know that I'm not just your average guy... Let's just say that, it was this move that awakened my destiny and truly gave me a purpose in life. _**

**_Just know this one thing before going any further:_**

**_Nothing and no one is what they seem..._**

**_But, luckily, _****_neither am I._**

* * *

"I can't believe I'm late for orientation..."

The irritation poured from the lips of the young African-American male as the midday August sun continued to beat down on his racing form. He pressed onward toward the main hall where his orientation was to be held. It was his first day of the fall semester and he was already opening on a low note. He spared no more than a split second to check his watch before resuming his scouting.

"Fisk Memorial Hall..." he quietly chanted while avoiding and juking past the various students and potential classmates in front of him. "Fisk. Memorial. Hall. Where the hell is... OWW!"

The young man ceased his search when he bumped into someone, finding himself showered with papers. He clutched his head, hoping to shake off the cobwebs but the only thing he succeeded in doing is gaining a headache when what sounded like screeching filled his ear. Gritting his teeth, he flinched hard before finally opening one eye to see the source of the ungodly noise.

"What the hell's your problem?!" a young Hispanic woman fired off while scrambling to gather up the still floating sheets.

"I'm sorry..." he brushed himself off before assisting her as best he could. "I wasn't paying attention since I'm looking for the main hall for orientation."

He handed over the pages only to have the girl snatch them from him.

"Keep going straight, make a left at the science lab and keep heading straight. You can't miss it."

"T-thanks. I really..." he didn't get the chance to finish expressing his gratitude as the young woman brushed past him without another word.

Realizing his error, the young man once again took off in hopes of making it to his destination in time.

* * *

"Here you go, Liam, and welcome to PCA University!" the cheerful voice of a young man chimed through the sea of students as he handed him his school badge. "You're located in Woodson Hall dormitory, room 407. It's located on the far east end of the campus near the library. You can't miss it!"

"Thanks."

"No problem. Congratulations on the scholarship too!"

Liam took the badge and keys without delay and headed toward his new home away from home. Coming off of the heels of a rather uneventful orientation where the dean just droned on and on about the glory of the new campus and facilities, he was more than happy to get settled in and unwind for a bit. The trek was rather quiet aside from the random conversations that he'd overhear as he passed by them.

Seeing the different people hugging and squealing led Liam to allow a small smile to adorn his lips but, it would fall as quickly as it came. That cruel reality of he didn't really have any friends in this new city and he was hundreds of miles away from home, from his mother and sister. Either way, he'd do his best to forge his own path in life and make them proud as he embarked on this new journey; there may not be time for friendships when he was on a mission.

He soon found himself staring at what appeared to be an apartment building across the street. It wasn't anything special but he didn't bother criticizing things, especially when he still had to move his things inside before he could even dream of relaxing. He pushed forward and entered the building, marveling at the severe contrast to the facility's modest outer appearance. While it appeared plain to the public eye, it was rather glamorous as he scanned the entire ground floor in awe.

"Guess you can't judge a book by its cover..." he smirked softly.

"What book are you talking about?"

While surprised, Liam simply turned around to find himself staring at a rather short girl smiling back at him. She stood about 5'0" even with warm brown eyes but, it was her vibrant red hair that really made her stand out to him. On top of that, she possessed an air of innocence that Liam couldn't help but feel at peace around.

"Sorry. Am I in your way?"

"Huh? Oh, no! You're fine..." she grinned softly before noticing his straying visage. "Are you lost?"

"Well, yes and no."

"I don't get it..."

_Great, even her voice is adorable... _he mentally facepalmed. "I was just getting used to such a pretty awesome place. I haven't even begun to look for my room yet."

To his surprise, the red-haired girl's smile grew larger.

"That's great! We can look for it together!" she gleefully clapped.

Liam wouldn't get a chance to retort as the girl fit her hand perfectly into his own and began leading him up the plush stairs. Rows of steps greeted them until they arrived at the fourth floor of the building, greeted by several students moving in and conversating about Lord knows what. Still, this didn't stop the two as Liam finally managed to regain his composure after having run up the steep flights of stairs.

"Now," the short girl tapped her chin. "Where did you say your room is?"

"I didn't say..." he awkwardly chuckled. "I'm in room 407, though."

"Oops! I guess I should've asked first," she tentatively began to twirl a few of her crimson locks between her fingers. "At least I guessed the floor correctly, right?"

Liam nodded and the two were once again on the hunt for his dorm room. The long hallway was irritating but it soon yielded the fruits of their labor as their destination was on the west end of the floor; literally the last room on their right.

"Finally..." he sighed in relief. "Thanks so much for accompanying me,"

"I'm Caterina Valentine, but you can call me Cat!" she held out her hand to which he accepted.

"Liam Marshall. I really appreciate you helping me find my place. I'm sure you're a long way from your place, so I'm really grateful."

Caterina's face slowly dropped into a soft frown, confusion dancing behind her chocolate-brown eyes.

"What makes you say that?"

"Well, aren't the girl's dormitories on the other end of campus?"

"That's right," she nodded. "but, it's not the only place for the girls, Liam."

"Where else could they go?"

Cat simply turned around and headed toward the door opposite his smiling over her shoulder.

"They never told you that Woodson Hall is co-ed," she flashed a quick wink and giggle before opening the door to her own room. "See you, Liam."

* * *

The day quickly turned into dusk and the buzz around PCA university had finally begun to die down. The students and parents were concluding their goodbyes and this was enough to put a smile on a certain brunette's face. After so many hours of having to file paperwork and student records, the curvy Latina was more than eager to arrive home at her apartment to get a small bite to eat and a nice hot bath after a long day.

Her sore feet ached as she left the campus grounds and headed to her apartment nearby.

Unknown to the exhausted young woman, her every move was being monitored by interested eyes as the last remnants of the sun descended behind the horizon. She walked several blocks over to a nearby cafe where she placed a quick order. The inside was cool and comfy as she waited for her usual iced latte and chicken salad croissant, a total contrast from the exceptionally warm weather outside.

Turning her attention to her phone, she didn't notice the young man walk in. She was so wrapped up in her social media scrum, she also failed to notice what was going on outside as her order was called out, drawing her attention from the device. She wasted little time paying for her meal and leaving. As she exited the building, she was greeted with various sounds of catcalling from a small group of young men who looked to be some wannabe gang bangers.

"Hey, sexy!" one of them flicked his tongue at her, much to her disgust. "Looking for a good time, tonight?"

"No thanks..." she scoffed before pressing on.

She'd hoped that her rejection would be the end of things. Sadly, that wouldn't be the case when she turned the corner only to find the boys were in fact following her from a far enough distance so that they wouldn't look too suspicious to anyone passing by. Troubled, the woman instinctively quickened her pace until she turned one more corner. Then, she broke out into a full on sprint with the boys immediately following suit.

Clutching her bag, she began ducking into alleyways and side streets but it seemed that there was no getting away from her pursuers.

_Why me?! _she cursed in her mind.

All she wanted to do was just go home and relax, yet now, here she was trying to outrun about five or six hoodlums who couldn't just leave well enough alone. She kept running though, despite the pain shooting in her feet until she was met with the worse possible outcome of this dangerous game.

A dead end.

"You've got to be kidding me!" she growled as the footsteps behind her grew louder, signaling the arrival of the group.

"Looks like we finally caught her," one of the boys in the back huffed, clearly winded from the chase.

"Yeah, well... I wonder if she's reconsidered our invitation," the apparent leader stepped forward. He was a Caucasian male, roughly about 5'9" with a lanky build that was mostly hidden under his sleeveless black hoodie. Lecherous blue portals undressed the cornered girl which only served to entertain him even more. "So? Are we doing this the easy way or the hard way?"

"If you want my money, then I'm sorry to tell you that I'm broke..." her mahogany orbs narrowed in defiance.

"Money?" he snickered, joined in by a chorus of his peer's laughter. "We don't need your money!"

She visibly gulped, afraid to ask the next question that was itching her throat.

"T-then what do you want from me?"

His lips curled into a disgustingly sinister grin, giving her all she needed to know as he and the others began their approach. Each step made the woman's breath hitch as she shivered under the sudden arrival of cold drops falling from above. It was beginning to rain, and here she was practically exposed to the elements as well as the monsters stalking toward her.

In a last-ditch effort, she rushed through the boys in futile hopes of breaking through and reigniting another chase. It did little to help her though as one of the boys, an Asian male with jet black hair peeking from under his backward facing cap. She tried to kick and scream but found herself unable to do so when a hand clamped over her mouth, preventing her from doing so. To make matters worse, some of the other boys had come over to hold her legs and arms down, making her completely at their mercy.

"Good work, guys," the leader clapped. "I'll be sure to leave enough for you all to enjoy after I'm done with her."

However, in one final act of desperation, the brunette managed to wiggle her right leg loose and kicked him square in the groin, sending him crashing to his knees in pain. This caused the others to double their efforts in restraining her as the wounded male dug in his pocket to brandish a pocket knife. The woman's eyes enlarged coupled with a whimper of sheer terror as the cocky grin had now been replaced with a deep scowl of hatred toward her.

"I'll teach you where your place is, bitch!"

"Is that really how you guys treat a lady?" a deep voice broke through the sounds of shuffling rain, drawing the attention of everyone in the alley. "No wonder you clowns can't get a date."

"Who the hell is this fool?" one of the black boys yelled out.

"I don't know, but he's come to a party that he wasn't invited to. One that I suggest he leave if he knows what's good for him."

The figure stood in the midst of the darkening sky with a confident smirk. "So, what happens if I choose to stay? Do I win a prize?"

Enraged, the leader of the group motioned for his gang to attack. "Yeah. You get these 'party favors'! Kill this son of a bitch!"

Leaving two of their own to keep an eye on the helpless woman, the rest charged down the damp corridor. The lone figure simply scoffed before dodging the first thug, who crashed into some trash cans, effectively removing him from the fight.

The next two took turns throwing a punch at his head only to hit nothing but air. He took a few steps back and spun on his heel to clobber the closest one with a back elbow to the nose that most certainly broke it. He then shifted his momentum to sweep the other male off of his feet, launching him in the air before landing an ax kick to his sternum, removing him from the battle.

Grabbing the girl, the white male order the last two to take care of this mysterious nuisance. "Kill that bastard, NOW!" he roared as the burly cronies charged at once. This time, the young man dropped his weight until they were close enough within grappling range.

He then swiftly lunged past the two overweight boys, clutching their hoods in the process. With their momentum now turned against them, the figure was more than able to slam them on their heads, knocking them out; leaving just one last obstacle.

"Stay back!" he screamed, more out of fear than rage at this point.

"Or else what?"

"I'll kill this skank! DO YOU HEAR ME?!"

This did little to dissuade the figure's resolve as he held out his hand, aiming it in the direction of the two. At that moment, a swirl of orange energy began to form in his palm.

_Flanm dife bèt nan bwa*_

Without hesitation, the young man shot the energy at the scared boy, knocking the blade from his unsteady hand as the howls of wolves echoed into the dusk. Caught off guard, the hoodlum began to panic as he watched his only means of defense bounce on the concrete behind him with an audible clink. To make matters worse, he turned around just in time to feel the impact of a well-placed knee that landed right in the solar plex.

The air was driven from his lungs as all the color drained from his face leaving an unconscious husk to collapse on the cold wet asphalt. The sickening thud was enough to bring make anyone want to pity the poor soul, had he not been the cause of all of this happening. In the end, the young woman opening her eyes to see the result of the intended assault.

"Are... are they-?"

"Unconscious. I made sure to leave them alive."

She let out a sigh of relief at the knowledge that the boys weren't dead.

She didn't need that filling her mind tonight.

Then, with the night fully enveloping the sky above, one lone street light flickered on just above them, allowing her to see who her savior was. While he was no Superman, she could tell that he was well built under his own leather jacket and hoodie combo. With the hood pulled over his head, there wasn't much for her to tell any identifiable traits of his outside of a pair of duel colored eyes, amethyst on the left and emerald on the right as his face was covered by a large scarf that kept everything else covered. He was wearing standard grey jeans tucked into black combat boots, completing his look.

"Thank you for saving me..."

"It's no problem. Just helping someone in need." While she couldn't see it, there was just the slightest hint of a smile peeking from under the sanguine scarf. "The police should be here any moment. Do you need an escort home?"

Lost in her thoughts for a moment, the woman blinked several times to find herself staring at his level gaze.

"Sorry... Um, no. I can find my way back, thanks."

"Are you sure?"

"I said I'm fine!" she snapped only to instantly regret her outburst; this was never more evident as she glared softly at a forming puddle under her feet. "I'm really sorry. I'm just still shaken but, I'll be alright getting home."

He didn't seem to take offense to her outcry though as he made his way past her. "Alright. Please be safe and hurry out of this rain as soon as you can."

"..." What more could she say without sounding like a helpless child? It wasn't every day that she was saved by a hero so it's not like she had practice or anything. Even still, she finally gathered up the courage to thank him once more only to find that she was now all alone aside from the still knocked out forms of her assailants. _Where did he-?_

Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the chime of her cell phone. She rushed over grabbing her purse and digging through the various items until she found the lit device. Checking it, she noticed a familiar icon pop up, signaling that she had a call.

"Hello?"

"Trina? Are you at home?" the voice on the other side sounded frantic. "I've been trying to reach you but couldn't get through so I was worried and stopped by."

"Oh... sorry, I um... I was tied up with something serious and just got outside before getting caught in the rain. I'm only a few blocks away though, so give me a few minutes and I'll be there."

In a matter of seconds, Trina sprinted past the bodies of her former pursuers and headed home just as the rain began to cease its downpour.

Meanwhile, on a nearby rooftop, the lone figure had remained nearby just in case anything else happened. Thankfully, nothing else came from this incident aside from the local cops arriving to take the young adults to jail.

"Mission complete, I guess."

He then stood up and began to make his way home, pulling down his hood and scarf in the process to reveal his face. No sooner did he do that, his own phone began to vibrate in his pocket, leading to him answering without hesitation.

"Hello?"

"Liam..." the sing-song tone of a woman made him stop dead in his tracks. "Why haven't you been picking up your phone?"

Sighing, he then swallowed the lump in his throat before calming his nerves.

"I was just busy, that's all..."

"Oh really?" the strong Cajun accent caused a bead of sweat to fall down his brow. "Busy doing what, exactly?"

"It's none of your business," he hissed.

"Liam Alexandre Marshall. You'd better treat your sister with some respect. Do you hear me?"

"M-mama?!"

"Mhmm... now, what is so important that you couldn't call and let us know how everything turned out?" her no-nonsense tone making his resolve crumble with ease. "You're not doing something foolish, are you?"

"No ma. I was just exhausted after orientation and moving in, that's all. I'm sorry I hadn't called but, I promise that you've got nothing to worry about."

The long pause between them was enough to make Liam's stomach twist and turn as he awaited the next words from either his mother or sister.

"Alright, sweetie. Just promise me that you'll be careful over there, alright?"

"Yes, ma... I promise."

"And no using your powers in public, little brother!"

"Whatever, Lucille..." he rolled his eyes. "I love you both. Bye."

"Love you too!"

He then hung up and rushed back to the dorms, his mind filled with everything that'd occurred on just his first day in Malibu. From being late to orientation to meeting a cute redhead, it was a pleasant day overall. Then came the dual times he'd run into that girl, once on campus and now in the alley. There was only one thought that filled his mind as he hopped from one roof to the next.

"What are the odds that it'd be her?"

* * *

**If you made it this far, then let me say thank you for giving this chapter a read. It took a bit of studying and patience to finish but I believe (and hope) that it's a solid enough foundation to continue moving forward with. This was going to be a short story but, who knows how it's going to turn out. I doubt that it'll be as long as "Demons Within" but it'll have enough content for a solid read. Anyways, I hope you all enjoy and feel free to leave your thoughts in the review section and I'll be updating really soon.**

**Translation(s):**

***flanm dife bèt nan bwa: Wolf Flame (Haitian-Creole)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello and welcome to another story written by yours truly and this one is going to be a doozy so, let's just get right into the meat and potatoes of things. First, I was inspired to make this story after finishing up the latest Spiderman game for PS4 (specifically "The City That Never Sleeps DLC) and remembered how much I loved the dynamic between Spiderman and Black Cat. This led to me wanting to make an original superhero story with the Victorious gang.**

**Secondly, this story is going to be in the "Demons Within" story universe as an alternate universe. Here's the quick rundown, Liam grew up with his mother, Celeste, and sister, Lucille in New Orleans. He knows about his father's passing and history though not everything. This means, he never met Tori, Jade, or any of the others in the aforementioned story. Instead, it's a few years into college where he's already completed one semester and is now transferred to PCA University. (Yes, this may include the cast of Zoey 101, albeit to a minor capacity unless otherwise mentioned). **

**Lastly, Liam has his original last name, Marshall in this story as he was never raised by his uncle nor takes his last name. This also means that his 'sister'/'cousin' has not been introduced either. Either way, this is the first chapter of "Fangs of Cerberus"**

* * *

**Fang of Cerberus**

**Arc 1: Freshman Year**

**Chapter 2: Of Horns and Halos**

* * *

Evening fell over the city, masking it in a beautiful blanket of twilight, creating the perfect scene for some vigilante activity. It had been about a week since the incident involving that loud girl, but, it created a new sense of purpose for one Liam Marshall; one in which he vowed to continue whenever possible.

After classes had concluded, Liam entered his room and got dressed for patrol in his room. Gone was his casual attire, replaced now with cargo pants tucked into military style boots, and an armored vest over a black sleeveless hoodie. Given the warm weather, he skipped the jacket altogether but made sure to grab his protective scarf that covered most of his face once he finished tying up his hair.

With that taken care of, he focused on the area where he stopped those hoodlums from assaulting that young woman and with a few deep breaths, he sat down on the side of the bed in the lotus position.

"Breathe..." he quietly chanted. "Focus on your target and visualize it."

He repeated this mantra in his head several times before disappearing from the bedroom in a puff of black smoke.

In a matter of seconds, he appeared on the rooftops of the scene of his first successful crime bust. He wouldn't get a chance to celebrate as he began to pick up a disturbance in both his stomach and head; the former being a side effect of using this ability. He pushed down the sick feeling rumbling in his stomach and did his best to pinpoint the source of this feeling that was plaguing him.

He would feel several presences to the east of his location and rushed over as quickly as he could.

His journey brought him to a seemingly empty lot behind a large bank where some shady characters were entering the building that very moment.

"Two groups of thugs in two nights?" he rolled his eyes. "Right up my alley."

He inhaled deeply before teleporting once more to a closer spot near the structure, nearly gagging from the queasy feeling in his gut though he ignored the temporary illness to focus on the task at hand; stopping these criminals. Slipping inside, Liam carefully trekked through the dark corridors making sure not to alert the robbers of his presence. In his mind, this was far beyond what he was expecting to encounter and yet, here he was about to engage possibly armed men in an attempt to stop them from robbing a bank.

"What was I thinking?" he hissed under his breath, feeling a sense of dread as he neared the main lobby.

Keeping to the shadows, Liam noticed that many of the men were actually unarmed and currently just randomly tearing the building apart, almost as if they were just hoping to find something and leave. He shook his head at the incompetence of the men before shifting down the wall back to the rear exit. His mind told him that these goons weren't worth his time or effort...

...that is until...

"What's going on in here?!"

The random voice startled the group as well as Liam himself who all turned their attention to find an overweight guard carrying a flashlight standing near a flight of stairs. If the bank robbers were incompetent, then this guy should be fired on the grounds of sheer stupidity. The next thing he knew, the sound of gunfire rang through the establishment, prompting Liam to do what he knew was the right thing.

Oh, how he despised doing 'the right thing' right now.

"I should've stayed in my room..." he rolled his eyes before darting at the man as fast as he could. "Oh well..."

Rushing in, he tackled the overweight moron to the ground, saving him from several potentially fatal shots., though one of the bullets happened to graze the poor man in the arm. The two slid across the smooth tiled floor before disappearing in a puff of smoke; the aftermath resulted with them appearing behind the teller's desk making them safe for the time being.

"My arm!" the gruff man clutched his wounded arm.

"Get out of here now! Call the police and don't come back without them..." Liam growled, clearly annoyed at the situation that he put himself in. "I'll draw their attention and you go out the rear exit. Understood?"

The man looked into the fierce glare; those dual colored orbs letting him know that there was no room for debate.

"Alright..." he flinched.

Nodding in approval, he watched as his savior suddenly vanished in a puff of black smoke, leaving him alone behind the makeshift refuge.

Meanwhile, the men had ceased their fire temporarily as they stalked around trying to figure what had just transpired. One moment they were firing on a single fat guard who was stupid enough to announce his presence and then, out of thin air he disappeared.

"What happened, Rick?" one of the masked men whispered as he scanned the surroundings.

"I don't know," was his only response. "For now, three of you keep looking for that butterball. The rest of you need to come with me to collect the money." In truth, there was no logical explanation that could be given. "People don't just vanish into nothing."

The group went their respective ways, having no clue that the very cause of this 'mystery' was right under their nose.

The trio continued their search, each one more fearful than the last as they scoured the area for their target. Liam took advantage of this as the three men gathered around one another, shaking their heads when discussing their results.

"Find anything?" the biggest one asked.

"Nope. Nothing around here but empty chairs and desks."

"Same here..."

"I found something, guys!" The three turned around to find a fourth figure standing behind them. The next thing the trio saw was complete darkness as they were blindsided by a swift barrage of punches and kicks that knocked them completely unconscious. "A bunch of wimps."

He spared a grin under the scarf concealing his identity but, let it fall when he remembered the other members were currently heading to the vault.

"Hurry up!" The one known as Rick ordered while his buddies continued to pull the massively heavy vault door.

At this point, this simple in-and-out job was beginning to turn into a convoluted train wreck. All he wanted was to get what they came for and get the hell out of dodge. Instead, he was stuck in a mix of panic and anger as he watched his team struggle with a doorway.

"What's the hurry anyway?" one of them grunted.

"Who cares?!" he sharply rebutted, rubbing his temples. "Right now, focus on the task at hand and get that jewel!"

Another 30 seconds passed before the entryway was wide enough for the men in black to enter. One by one, they stormed inside and began ransacking the place. Safety deposit boxes were scattered throughout the large area as they searched diligently for what they sought.

"Boss! Is this it?" he held up a rather ordinary necklace from one of the boxes.

To his surprise, Rick's eyes lit up upon gazing at what appeared to be a green and brown wooden necklace with an emerald pendant on the end; It was, in fact, what they'd come to claim. He quickly snatched the piece of jewelry, stashing it in a small pouch in his jet black vest.

"Good work! Let's get out of here..."

"Aww but, we were just about to roast some marshmallows and sing campfire songs," The remaining men turned around only to find nothing but a closing vault door.

Try as they may, there was not enough time for them to escape the room as the sounds of it banging shut echoed in the otherwise hollow room. Rick instinctively drew his gun only to feel something clamp down on his wrist, forcing him to drop the firearm. His yelp filled the startled the others who attempted to mirror his actions only to find that they were unarmed as well.

The first punch glanced Rick's chin. He noticed too late that it was a feint, though, when the second punch doubled him over and expelled the last bit of choked air from his beer-weighted belly.

It was a heck of a shot. Outside of having the wind knocked from him, which he always hated, Rick noticed a fair amount of pain with the gutshot, which was something he wasn't used to. A hit to the face, yes, or even the kidney...but the gut shouldn't have been much more than discomfort if that.

Fortunately, he was used to it all. A veteran of bar fights in four states and countless cities, even being out of air was something Rick knew how to deal with. However, his impending comeback was halted before leaving the gate as he felt another shot of pain through his body, namely below the belt, effectively taking him out of the fight.

One of the thugs who thought it best to try to rush him from behind. Drawing his hand back, he let out all of his fear as he punched the back of Liam's neck. The sound of connection brought an unseen smirk on the guy's face until he noticed something that made his blood run cold.

He did hit something, but it wasn't the young man that he targeted. What he hit was something black and floating, forcing him to withdraw in trepidation.

Liam stood up straight, eyes bulging with rage, and stared at his opponent—some punk with a smart mouth—right in his borderline demonic gaze. The man tried to stand tall, but he was about to pee his pants he was so scared. Liam had him where he wanted him.

"You…little…" Liam took a lurching step forward with each word. On the third, he swung: "Ass!"

With the tiniest amount of courage hanging on a thread, another dumb punk tried to counter with a punch of his own.

The blow felt too sluggish though. Liam knew the second he noticed who launched it. The spry, smirking college kid ducked under it. Before anyone could even register the dodge, however, a body shot, this one to his ribs, sent fresh ripples of pain through the second's torso. He didn't fall—he made absolutely sure he did not fall—but it was a lot closer than he'd have liked.

The first thug went in for another shot. Liam shoved him off. Seeing the guy scoot back so far against the weight of it gave him enough time to end things. He covered the distance between them. Threw three more punches that did land. The poor grunt fell.

Then, he stood again, surveying the other remaining souls.

It was unreal. Between the pain in his guts and ribs and the general confusion, the sight of this kid on his feet despite the numbers advantage was not something the second man wanted to see. He threw another haymaker that the kid ducked but didn't parry, then another that the kid swung under again—and responded in turn with an uppercut.

Click. The sound of his upper and lower rows of teeth making unplanned contact sickened him. Still, he kept his feet. He had to. Falling down was not—

Liam stared at the three crumpled heaps at his feet, a wealth of something dark welling up in his soul.

"Losers," he said, his throat full of evil intent while speaking that single word. He then turned his attention to the only remaining (conscious) member. "What'll it be?"

* * *

Needless to say, the authorities arrived after nearly half an hour after the security guard called. By then, Liam had concluded his mission, watching from a nearby rooftop as the men were led away in seperate squad cars. It seemed that no money was stolen; only a single necklace was their intended target, a fact that was excluded from the report as none of the officers were informed about that detail.

The only one who knew was Liam himself courtesy of the artifact known as the 'Gem of Kulkulkan' seemingly attached it around his neck after he removed from the leader's vest pocket. He stared at the bright green gem, fiddling with it between his pointer and thumb before finally settling on leaving. This was a bit more than he bargained for, but, on the other hand, he was grateful for the experience as it would come in handy at some point in the future.

"Time to go..." he pulled down the scarf, visibly showing off his smirk, a single canine resting over his bottom lip as the last member was shipped off to jail.

A silent puff of black smoke signaled his departure, unknowingly under the watchful eyes of two opposing forces.

"Interesting..." a sultry tone broke the silence several blocks away from the crime scene. "I guess "she" was onto something after all."

On the other side of the bank building, two conflicting shades of brown studied the fading smoke with both concern and intrigue.

"...talk about a game changer..."

* * *

After the events of the previous evening, the corridors of PCA University were abuzz with chatter; much to a certain girl's irritation. Long raven hair flowed with each step, complimented by purple streaks that stood out as the only source of color on the otherwise black-clad young woman. She currently was heading to admittedly one of her favorite classes when talks of the previously reported events caught her ear.

"Did you hear that Wade and his goons were arrested?"

"Yeah! Something about them stalking a girl and chasing her into a back alley...?" one of the nerdy boys inquired to a chorus of nods.

"I heard someone was recording the last part of what was happening and some mysterious guy came and saved the woman."

"What about that bank robbery just last night?" some random girl chimed in.

"So there's a vigilante?"

That last part caught the dark-haired girl's attention as she entered the classroom. Taking her seat in one of the middle rows, she continued to listen to the various conversations from her fellow students while resting her jet black combat boots on the table. In truth, there was something peculiar about all of this that piqued her interest, but she'd remain neutral about it all until she gathered some more information. In the meantime, the other students began to file in, followed by the professor, an older African-American woman wearing a dark grey suit that complimented her natural hair. She was around her early 40s but you wouldn't know that by looking as she had the appearance of a woman about half her age.

"Alright, class. Settle down and welcome to Culture 101. First off, I am Professor Freeman and I will be guiding along this journey of cultural diversity and comprehension. My office hours are on Mondays and Thursdays between 9 am and 1 pm. Also, my email can be found on the campus' website although it is included in the syllabus that I'm passing out now."

She handed over a stack of packets for the students to pass to one another before returning to the whiteboard.

"As you're passing those out, let us get started on the first lesson. Since it's the first day, this will just a simple lecture with some questions peppered in for fun," she smirked. "For starters, let's go into Haitian culture. Does anyone know anything about Haiti and it's spiritual culture?"

Not a soul raised their hand for the first few seconds until a pale palm casually rose, drawing the older woman's attention and acknowledgment.

"Outside of the religious construct of Catholicism, there was a much freer form of spiritual belief centered around voodoo where the people believe in a Supreme God called Bondye, from the French. When it came in contact with Roman Catholicism, the Supreme Creator was associated with the Christian God and the loa associated with the saints." the young woman answered with confidence.

"Very well said, miss..."

"West. Jade West."

"Excellent, Jade." she nodded in approval, earning a ghost of a grin from the gothic young adult. "Now, does anyone know anything about the Loas?"

A still standing Jade was about to answer when another voice interrupted her attempt. Cutting her gaze to the left side of the room where a dark-skin male stood to his feet. Of course, she took her seat, resuming her earlier position.

"One of the Loas worshipped is Legba who is one of the most important loa in Haitian Voodoo. In fact, he can open the gates to the spirit world, enabling communication with other loa. No loa dares show itself without Legba's permission. He controls the crossing over from one world to the other. Legba is also known to hold the "key of the spiritual world," and for this reason is identified with the Christian St. Peter."

Once more, Professor Freeman nodded in approval. "Correct, Mr..."

"Liam Patterson," he smiled confidently before taking his own seat.

The older woman turned her attention back to the board and began to discuss the remainder of the lesson. As the minutes ticked away, the various students took notes but, a pair of icy blue orbs constantly gravitated to a certain young man who was busy compiling information without a care in the world. It wasn't that she liked the guy, quite the opposite in fact. She just didn't like being upstaged by anyone and that wouldn't change, even if the guy was attractive.

Soon, the time came for the class to draw to a close and Professor Freeman took the last few minutes to address her class once more.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I want you to study chapters 1 and 2 for Friday's lesson alright? Also, please message me asap so that I have your student emails on file. For now, enjoy the rest of your day."

Within seconds, various students would file out, many murmuring amongst themselves about the class. Liam took his time to make sure that he recorded everything before shuffling to put everything away in his bag. He slung the bag over his shoulders and proceeded from the classroom only to find the goth girl standing next to the exit as if she'd been waiting for him.

"Can I help you?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

Chewing the inside of her jaw, she crossed her arms.

"Maybe..."

"So, what is it then?"

"What's with upstaging me? Did you think it was funny to just get up and embarrass me in public like that?"

Emerald avoided the hard gaze of Azure for what felt like an eternity.

"Look, I wasn't trying to embarrass you or anything. I just wanted a chance to answer a question about my own heritage. Nothing more."

"Mhmmm... Well, I suggest that you don't make this a habit, alright?" she rubbed the stubble on his cheek playfully, before hitting him with her dark hair as she headed down the hall to only Lord knows where.

Liam simply stared blankly at her departing form until she disappeared within the sea of students.

* * *

"48... 49... 50!"

The sound of clinking metal rang throughout the room courtesy of Liam Marshall who'd just finished his curling reps. The sweat poured all over his body as he proceeded to put the dumbbells back on the rack before moving on to an empty weight bench where the barbell was waiting for him. He allowed a goofy grin to adorn his face, but only for a split second as he regained his focus.

Several 45 lb plates were placed on both ends of the bar giving him a grand total of 315 lb for him to push. He then rested on the seat and got started on his reps, or at least he would've if he hadn't noticed a shadow standing over him.

"Excuse me?" he happened to catch the sweet voice when he removed his earbuds. "I'm sorry, but, I was going to use this bench."

Liam carefully sat up and got a good look at the girl. She was olive skinned and slender in size. Her eyes were the color of honey when the lights hit them, further accentuating her beauty. Even if he was annoyed at first, that quickly went away once he got a good look at her.

"Sorry," he bowed his head, letting his dark brown locs cover his eyes. "I didn't see anyone here. I should've been paying attention so, I apologize."

Given his track record with girls on campus thus far, nobody would fault Liam for expecting to get chewed out. To his surprise, he was greeted with a giggle from the girl. To add to his poor luck with girls, Liam missed the hue of red that rose onto the girl's cheeks as she sized up his sweaty and toned frame before snapping back to reality.

"It's alright. It was an honest mistake."

"You can use it. I was just going to do a few reps and then be on my way so, it's no big deal."

She smiled at him, tucking a stray piece of her hair before accepting his offer.

In turn, he responded by removing the big plates and placing the exact weights that she wanted. Once that was set up, Liam grabbed his damp towel to wipe away the beads that formed on his forehead before making his way out of the near empty room. He reached the door only to hear the faintest of coughs, drawing his attention back to the slender girl.

"Is something wrong?"

Her response came in the form of an outstretched hand.

"Not really," she replied with an even larger smile, showing off her perfect cheekbones. "But I'd like to ask if you wouldn't mind helping me out? This is actually my first time lifting weights like this."

"Sure! I don't mind at all."

With the verbal agreement in place, the pair returned to the weight bench.

"By the way," he helped her get in the proper position. "I'm Liam."

"Tori."

"Pleasure to meet you, Tori."

"Likewise, Liam..." she fought back the giggle that tickled her throat and resumed focusing on the bar hovering over her face. "Shall we begin?"

"Ready when you are," he smirked, grabbing hold of the metal bar to spot her.

**To be continued...**

* * *

**Alright, so with the first two chapters out of the way, we can finally get to the heart of the story. I'll explain things as things progress but for now, here are the facts:**

**Liam is practically a mutant, meta-human, etc and while his teleportation abilities are obvious, they are not the only powers that he possesses. More will be revealed as he now possesses the Gem of Kulkulkan (an artifact in Mayan Mythology). As of now, nobody knows who he really is despite the last scene. These were just introductions to the main players as far as primary characters and potential antagonists/protagonists moving forward. **

**I would also like to add that everyone will not have supernatural abilities. (Too much of a good thing can be a bad thing, right?) In the meantime, I hope you all enjoyed these last two chapters and be on the lookout for the next one as it's coming up shortly.**


End file.
